WJPA Sports

WJPA-AM (1450) brings you wall-to-wall coverage of Super Bowl LX, starting at 12 noon via Westwood One. Super Bowl Preview opens our daylong broadcast at 12 noon.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have defied the odds by reaching the Super Bowl after aggressive free agency spending. The Patriots spent more than $364 million, securing key players like Milton Williams and Stefon Diggs. General Manager Eliot Wolf emphasized a culture shift and intentional player selection. The Seahawks, spending more than $205 million, signed quarterback Sam Darnold and made strategic draft picks, bolstered by trades. Coach Mike Macdonald praised the balance of the draft and free agency. While free agency fueled success, both teams acknowledge it’s not a guaranteed strategy for future seasons.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina senior Seth Trimble hit a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift the 14th-ranked Tar Heels past fourth-ranked rival Duke on Saturday night. It was the biggest moment in a four-year career that has had its shares of ups and downs. Trimble’s shot now has a place in the famed rivalry’s lore. It came on a play the Tar Heels had worked on repeatedly. And it helped them win on a night when they never led until that final shot. Trimble said he was “going to remember this for the rest of my life.” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he had staff members “that got punched in the face” as North Carolina fans stormed the court to celebrate a late winning shot in the famed rivalry Saturday night. That prompted UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham to publicly apologize. Cunningham said one person was injured amid the chaos but didn’t offer details as to who or how. UNC beat rival Duke 71-68 on Seth Trimble’s 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash. Johnson was the sixth racer and found speed with a risk-taking trip along the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina. She was in the leader’s box when Vonn, the No. 13 racer, cut a corner too close and was spun around before crashing. The race was put on hold for more than 20 minutes. The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill. Johnson finished in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds to hold off Emma Aicher of Germany by just .04 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill winner and 2022 silver medalist, finished with the bronze.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn’s pursuit of a second Olympic downhill gold medal is over. The 41-year-old American, skiing with a badly injured left knee, crashed early in Sunday’s race in Italy. She was taken off the course by helicopter after receiving medical attention. Vonn lost control early in the race and was heard screaming as she was surrounded by medical personnel. Vonn returned to elite ski racing last season after a long break and was a race favorite. The crash may end her storied career. Teammate Breezy Johnson won the gold.